1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for treating a surface of a glass substrate and an apparatus for performing the same. According to the invention, the surface of the glass substrate is subjected to an ion source pretreatment, so as to achieve an effect of surface cleaning and further render the conductive film to be coated on the glass substrate in the subsequent stage to have a reduced surface resistance, thereby improving the conductivity of the glass substrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Flat display devices have recently been widely used, such as in liquid crystal televisions, computers, mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDA). Glass substrates are considered to be one of the critical materials employed during the manufacture of flat display devices. Nevertheless, the substrate cleaning system now used in substrate producing processes remains to be improved.
Conventional processes for cleaning a glass substrate have to use a tremendous amount of chemical cleaning agents and consume an even more amount of water in subsequent rinsing and drying stages. These wetting cleaning processes not only generate volatile organic gaseous pollutants but also waste water and time. Recently, the Taiwan's Environmental Protection Department is ready to go ahead to amend the environmental protection regulations as a means to levy volatile organic compound (VOC) emission fees. The regulations, if put in effect, would surely force domestic manufacturers to adopt new cleaning processes. Meanwhile, as the global trend of manufacturing green products through green processes continuously progresses and many related regulations are being envisaged or already in force, the conventional wet cleaning processes apparently fail to satisfy the needs.